# COMAR Title 09 — Maryland Department of Labor

## Subtitle 14 — State Athletic Commission

### Chapter 07 — Ring Officials

#### Regulation .03 Referee.

*COMAR 09.14.07.03*

A. General. The referee shall have the authority to:

  (1) Supervise, generally, a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts contest;

  (2) Decide all matters arising during a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts contest that are not specified in these regulations.

B. Referee's Authority.

  (1) The referee may stop a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts contest during or between rounds for any of the following reasons:

    (a) Injury to a contestant;

    (b) Poor physical conditioning of a contestant;

    (c) Disqualification of a contestant for not participating in earnest; or

    (d) Unsafe ring or fenced area conditions.

  (2) The referee shall give a contestant sufficient time to recuperate when the contestant is incapacitated by a low blow or other fouling tactic.

C. Referee's Duties.

  (1) A referee may touch a contestant only if the contestant fails to obey a command to break.

  (2) In addition to the knockdown procedure described in COMAR 09.14.06.11, the referee shall:

    (a) Begin a knockdown count for any contestant who leaves the ring or fenced area during the 1-minute rest period between rounds and does not resume participation when the bell signals the beginning of a round;

    (b) Begin a knockdown count for any contestant who is knocked out or falls out of the ring or fenced area during a round and fails to return immediately to the ring or fenced area; and

    (c) Remove the mouthpiece of a contestant after the knockdown count.

  (3) A referee shall warn a contestant and the contestant's manager or chief second in a clear and distinct manner that persistent fouling will result in a penalty before a referee assesses a penalty point.

D. Medical Standards for Referees.

  (1) A referee annually shall submit to the Commission certification of the following medical examinations:

    (a) A comprehensive physical;

    (b) An ophthalmological evaluation as defined in COMAR 09.14.04.02A; and

    (c) A neurological test as defined in COMAR 09.14.04.03A which is performed by a neurologist or neurosurgeon.

  (2) The Senior Physician shall determine the appropriate medical documentation for nonresident applicant referees.

  (3) A referee may not officiate in a contest if any of the following physical conditions are found:

    (a) Conditions specified in COMAR 09.14.04.04B(1)—(8) and (10)—(11);

    (b) Uncorrected visual acuity that is less than 20/40;

    (c) Peripheral vision that is less than 100 percent; or

    (d) Abnormalities suggestive of acute, subacute, or chronic nervous system abnormalities.